Netflix has made a surprising decision to cancel its Netflix Stories franchise, marking a sudden shift from its focus on narrative-driven games. Popular titles such as Love is Blind, Perfect Match, and Virgin River will remain available for players, but no new entries in the series will be developed.
This news, initially covered by our sister site, has significant implications for Netflix's gaming strategy. From a player's perspective, it raises questions about the future direction of Netflix Games. The company had appeared to be moving away from indie games towards narrative experiences that could complement its television and film content. However, the cancellation of Netflix Stories suggests a halt to this approach, indicating potential new strategies on the horizon.
While I won't speculate on drastic changes like turning Netflix Games into a separate subscription service, it's worth noting that, as Craig from .biz highlighted, Netflix Stories titles were not performing as well as other popular releases like GTA: San Andreas and Squid Game Unleashed. This performance gap might lead Netflix to pivot back to ports and new, high-profile releases that extend beyond the narrative genre. Additionally, Paige from .biz mentioned that Netflix could be exploring party games, such as those from Jackbox, to diversify its gaming catalog. This was a topic Will and I discussed on the latest episode of the Pocket Gamer Podcast, so stay tuned for more insights.
Despite these changes, there's still a wealth of games to enjoy. Be sure to check out our list of the top five new mobile games to try this week for some fantastic options!
Someone will pay
